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(No Model.) I

H. G. LYNCH.

BOX OAR DOOR FASTENER AND SPARK ARRESTBR.

.114. Patented 001;. 19, 1886.

was @354 I z & fizz/6min NITED STATES ATENT FFIQEQ HUBBARD CALHOUN LYNCH, OF HOUSTON, TEXAS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 351,114, dated October 19, 1886.

Application filed May 1, 1886. Serial No. 200,804. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HUBBARD CALHOUN LYNCH, of the city of Houston, county of Harris, State of Texas, have invented a new and improved mode of preventing sparks or fire from entering boX-cars through the back edge of the door, at the same time forming a lock or fastener; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

My invention relates to an improvement in doonfasteners and spark-arresters for boX- cars; and it consists in the peculiar construction and combination of devices, that will be more fully set forth hereinafter, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure l is a horizontal section through a portion of the car-door and one side of the car, taken on the line x w of Fig. 2, and illustrating my improved doorfastener and spark-arrester. Fig. 2 is an elevation of the same, showing the front edge of the car-door provided with my improvements, the side of the car being illustrated in transverse section on the line y g of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a detailed elevation of the fastening strip.

A represents the side of the car, which is provided with a vertical groove, 13.

0 represents the usual sliding door with which the box-car is provided. On the front edge of the door are secured a number of me tallic plates, D, which are countersunk in the door, so that their faces are flush with the front edge thereof, and the said plates are secured to the door by means of screws E. These plates D are arranged at suitable distances apart, and any desired number thereof may be employed. Three are usually sufficientone near the top and bottom of the door and one at the center thereof. Each plate D is provided with a central interiorly-threaded opening, (I.

F represents a metallic strip, which corresponds in length to the height of the car-door, and is of suitable thickness, generally about a quarter of an inch. The width of this strip should preferably slightly exceed the thickness of the car-door, and the inner edge of the said strip is beveled, as at f.

G represents transverse oblique openings or slots which are made in the strip, and at such a distance apart as to coincide with the openings d of the plates D. Screws H extend through the said slots G, engage the openings in the plates D, and enter the front edge of the car-door, and thus secure the strip to the latter, and permitthe strip to be moved latorally across the edge of the door toward or from the contiguous side of the car. On the screw H, at the center of the strip, is pivoted a lever, I, which is provided witha curved cam, K, stops L at each end of the cam, and an arm, M, which projects outwardly beyond the sides of the door. From the front side of the strip F projects a stud, f, which bears against the edge of the cam K. A staple, N, is driven in the car-door at a suitable distance above the central screw, H.

The operation of my invention is as follows: Vhen the car-door is closed, in order to lock the same it is only necessary to grasp the arm M of the lever I and move it upwardly, so as to cause one of the stops L to strike against the stud f, and thus force the strip F iiiwardly on the edge of the car-door, and cause its beveled edge to enter the groove 13. This effectually closes the crack between the door and the side of the car, and also fastens the door so that it cannot be moved without first withdrawing the strip from the groove B. \Vhen the strip is forced into the said groove, a wire, 0, is passed through the staple M and through an opening or eye at the outer end of the camlever, and the ends of said wire are twisted together, asillustratcd in Fig. 2 in dotted lines, and thereby the cam-lever is firmly secured in position.

Any other suitable preferred means may be employed for locking the cam-lever, as I do not desire to limit myself in this particular.

The function of the plates D is to preyent the metallic strip F from wearing the front edge of the door.

Having thus described my invention, I claim 1. In combination with the door, the screws H, extending therefrom, the strip F, provided with inclined slots G to receive the screws H, the lever I, pivoted on the screw outside the strip,stops L, provided on the lever, and projec- IOC tionsf,extending from the strips, and against stops L on the lever to engage the projections which projections the stops L engage, as set f, and means-such as cord--for1ooking the 10 forth. lever I, as set forth.

2. In combination with the door the screws v 5 H, extending therefrom, the strips F, having HUBBARD CALHOUN LYN the inclined slots received on the screws, and Witnesses: provided with the projections f the lever I, WM. T. OUMMING,

pivoted 011 the screws I-I outside the strip, J. T. FERGUSON. 

